Here come the stupid Q's

[Kcon]

Just kidding, but what are the "elephant ears"? Are they wheel well inserts? (where do you get wheel well inserts?)

Q#2, I was reading this forum and see people talking about venting the footbox area. With an open cockpit and insulated footbox, do you really need fresh air down there? Thanks in advance, Kyle

I don't have a heater in my car and I live in Austin Tx where it's awefully hot and probably not using the car in the summer too much, except maybe a day at the track. I guess i'm asking, with the open cockpit, does it make much difference? I was thinking a box of dry ice, stored in my "elephant trunk", and vented straight into my suit ? Just a thought though, not likely followed through with.

What sorts of insulation are people using? Lizard Skin? Dynomat? Closed cell foam on top of that? My truck has Home Depot brand Dynomat and 1/4" closed cell/foil backed foam glued to that. All for my stereo

[KDubU]

The elepahnt ears are the aluminum panels that go into the front and rear wheel wells. These come with the kit so not sure if you are asking about those or the custom wheel well liners that you can also purchase.

Venting the footboxes is not needed but a nice mod especially if you live somewhere hot most of the year. Good insulation will help keep temps okay down there but one has to consider that there is a big engine inches from an aluminum box.

There are a number of inuslations you can use, some you have listed. I used lizard skin and also have some dynamat in the footboxes and down under the seats plus trans tunnel cover. There is also the option of installing insulatiion on the engine side or better yet, install heat reflector material of some kind.

[Frank Messina]

First, you need to seal up every crack and gap you can find by any means possible to stop entry of engine compartment air. This is huge. Next you can think about insulation. I used an aluminum backed felt product that was sold at Home Depot as a water heater blanket but it is also available from a number of auto parts sources online. It's about 3/8" thick and not only insulates but dampens sound very effectively and gives the interior a nice feel. Just another option. Finally, footbox vents are okay but I rarely use them. What I have found is that with the blast gate closed the air in the vent hose is being heated by the headers to some ridiculous temp. So it's 100° outside and you decide you want the vent open so you pull the cable and you now have 100°+ air pushing 150° air. However on days when the air temp is a little more civilized say in the 70s or less, but the sun is beating on you, you can get some relief once the heated air has been flushed out. HTH
Frank

[Cobradavid]

Kyle,
As a fellow Texas FFR driver, I can tell you footbox vents are a big plus for our 7-8 months of "summer." I made a footbox vent system that draws air in from the front brake cooling duct opening and uses a boat bilge blower to move the air. It has a butterfly valve so I can close off the flow in the winter. The blower is great on hot days when you're sitting in traffic. I shut off the blower once I'm going faster than ~45 mph since the ram air provides enough airflow.

My wife has asked that I install a blower for her side of the car also.

I have insulated footboxes and a well sealed engine compartment and I still recommend footbox blowers to make driving these cars that much more enjoyable in our hot weather.

David

[jlfernan]

Good insulation will help keep temps okay down there but one has to consider that there is a big engine inches from an aluminum box.

There are a number of inuslations you can use, some you have listed. I used lizard skin and also have some dynamat in the footboxes and down under the seats plus trans tunnel cover. There is also the option of installing insulatiion on the engine side or better yet, install heat reflector material of some kind.

For heat, on my first car, this worked great.
http://www.lobucrod.com/

[Jeff Kleiner]

My cockpit is insulated and I don't have footbox vents. Honestly have never found myself thinking "man, my feet are hot". I've built and ridden in cars with them on hot 90+ days and didn't feel any difference once the cars were moving. At a standstill I'm sure blowers would stir up the air...although it might just be recirculating hot air. Just my opinion but I think insulation (and stopping engine air infiltration as Frank discussed) is more imperative than vents. I built one a few years ago and the owner took it home to complete the interior, driving it a few times with no insulation or carpet. He said it was brutal and totally changed after installing the insulation (Reflectix, what I use on all of my builds which looks to be much the same as the product Jorge linked).

Jeff

[JBMorrison]

While on this subject, anyone have experience with the Whitby A/C system? My MkIII will be a Memphis car, so got the heat and the humidity.

John Morrison

[Dave Howard]

Like Jeff, I too have insulation (Dynamat Extreme) and no vents. I was scooting across Wyoming a couple of summers ago in blistering 100 degree heat. Feet were fine but my head go sizzled even with a hat on. Had to stop early that day and the beer didn't stop flowing for a couple of hours.
I've seen the need for the vents. I bought a kit and didn't use it. Didn't like the look and as it turned out I haven't regretted not using it.

[CraigS]

I may be in the minority so far, in just this thread, but I think foot box vents are very worthwhile. I use mine May through Sept in the DC area.

[Bobby Doug]

While on this subject, anyone have experience with the Whitby A/C system? My MkIII will be a Memphis car, so got the heat and the humidity.

John Morrison

I have it and no top for the car (yet). The vents are mounted below the dash, a compromise between heating and cooling. It is effective in providing cool air in the footbox and so-so effective on cooling the driver and passenger at slow speeds and at stoplights. Once you are moving it is not noticeable, except in the footbox. I still have to install the underdoor trim and carpet and do add the pipe insulation between the footbox and body. This probably will increase it's effectiveness. Adding a top and windows should keep the interior whatever temp you want. The exhaust noise completely drowns out the fan. However, it is my understanding that the Whitby's unit is no longer available.

[Kcon]

Thanks guys, I'm thinking about the vent pretty hard, and definitely insulation in the foot box. What about on the engine side of the foot box? Is there anything that reflects heat and still looks good? I saw one pic and they had white stuff splattered on the aluminum. they did a good job of removing everything and then spraying, but it still looked like crap. Any suggestions? what about under the footbox? Thanks, Kyle

[Jdav]

Thanks guys, I'm thinking about the vent pretty hard, and definitely insulation in the foot box. What about on the engine side of the foot box? Is there anything that reflects heat and still looks good? I saw one pic and they had white stuff splattered on the aluminum. they did a good job of removing everything and then spraying, but it still looked like crap. Any suggestions? what about under the footbox? Thanks, Kyle

Breeze sells some stuff lag looks good when installed nicely http://www.breezeautomotive.com/details.php?prod_id=773
0:59 here:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rkZxL5Tpcc0 but it's pricey

[edwardb]

I have it and no top for the car (yet). The vents are mounted below the dash, a compromise between heating and cooling. It is effective in providing cool air in the footbox and so-so effective on cooling the driver and passenger at slow speeds and at stoplights. Once you are moving it is not noticeable, except in the footbox. I still have to install the underdoor trim and carpet and do add the pipe insulation between the footbox and body. This probably will increase it's effectiveness. Adding a top and windows should keep the interior whatever temp you want. The exhaust noise completely drowns out the fan. However, it is my understanding that the Whitby's unit is no longer available.

You will get a lot of opinions about this. Here's mine. Some guys come up with some pretty elaborate heat shields to go on the outside of the footboxes sometimes with quite exotic materials. For my builds, I've never found this necessary. With good quality heat and sound insulation on the inside of the cockpit and footboxes, then with the carpet over, I've never had any heat issues. Even on very long cruises, where heat has a chance to soak everything, it's never been an issue. Never a sense of any heat from the sheet metal. Plus I very strongly prefer the clean look on the outside of the footboxes. I happen to use Lizard Skin heat and sound spray-on products, which I like, but there are many other choices. Also important is complete sealing so there is no hot air migrating from the engine compartment to the cockpit. We've also found having fresh air in the footboxes is helpful, but not sure just how much.

[Kcon]

Thanks Ed, I'm sold. Fresh air and a mix of Lizard skin and 1/4" closed cell foam, both on the inside. Then bed liner on the bottom side of the cockpit. I just have to leave the aluminum in the engine bay alone. I like it shiny too! Later............Kyle

[Kcon]

Does Atwood make dif size blowers? Like a 4"?

[edwardb]

Thanks Ed, I'm sold. Fresh air and a mix of Lizard skin and 1/4" closed cell foam, both on the inside. Then bed liner on the bottom side of the cockpit. I just have to leave the aluminum in the engine bay alone. I like it shiny too! Later............Kyle

Personally, I would stick with one product. Either Lizard Skin or one of the other options, e.g. Thermo Tec, Dynamat, whatever. No real advantage to mixing them, IMO, and certainly I wouldn't stack one on top of the other if that's what you're suggesting. Space is already tight, and even small fractions of an inch add up to taking away valuable room. I also don't see any advantage of bed liner on the bottom side of the cockpit. On the tire facing sides of the wheel well liners for sure. Plus I think it's basically mandatory for the underside of the fiberglass body and again especially in the wheel well areas. But no advantage IMO on the underside of the cockpit or any of the other sheet metal. In thousands of miles of driving I rarely if ever hear anything hitting under there. Still looks brand new after thousands of miles. If you do choose to use bedliner under there, just make sure to apply it after you install the aluminum. If you do it before and then try to mount the panels, the spacing and fit will be all messed up.

Just an editorial comment -- I find new builders often really over think this heat thing. There are basic things you need to do (some kind of insulation, get everything sealed, optionally add some fresh air) but beyond that I think the return is really minimal. Listen to people who have experience not just building but driving in all kinds of weather. Heat must be controlled but it's not as hard as some make it IMO, and doesn't require anything exotic. I guess everyone has their favorite "I rode in a Cobra and burned my feet..." story. Our real world experience is that heat, wind, noise, etc. from outside the cockpit wears you out a lot sooner than heat from inside. Go for a cruise on a hot sunny day and you'll end the ride thinking about that outside heat, not the inside, which in my experience is pretty easily managed.

[phileas_fogg]

Does Atwood make dif size blowers? Like a 4"?

Yes, but you should probably confirm 4" ducting will fit under the body.


John

[AC Bill]

What about on the engine side of the foot box? Is there anything that reflects heat and still looks good? Any suggestions? what about under the footbox? Thanks, Kyle

I made a second panel of aluminum, to reflect heat, and create an air space between the headers, and the foot box aluminum. This panel also runs back under the front section of the foot box, back to the cross frame, where the floor drops. That part was more for protection from road debris intrusion.

[CobraboyDR]

I made a second panel of aluminum, to reflect heat, and create an air space between the headers, and the foot box aluminum. This panel also runs back under the front section of the foot box, back to the cross frame, where the floor drops. That part was more for protection from road debris intrusion.That's a simple, elegant solution and really all you need on the outside near the headers. My Superformance had a similar aluminum shield mounted 1/4" from the foot box.

Simple adhesive heat mat is all necessary on the inside of foot box.